Dispenser



Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I DISPENSER Thomas P. Walsh, Garrett, Ind. Application September 1, 1949, Serial No. 113,611 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-42) This invention relates to a device for dispensing units of merchandise, such as tablets, capsules, perles, lozenges, etc.

The primary object of this invention'is to provide a tablet dispenser which is relatively simple in design and construction and easily manipulated in such a manner that by sliding a cap, one tablet at a time can be dispensed from the container. The construction is such as to prevent the delivery of more than one tablet when the sliding cap is in an operative or unloading position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dispenser of the character described which will effectively prevent spilling of the contents of the container, can also be used effectively for counting the tablets removed from the container, and which is effectively operated by means of a sliding cap member, thus avoiding the troublesome, sticking conventional screw cap.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tablet dispenser comprising -an elongated openended container for retaining a column of tablets, a hollow dispensing cap, means for slidably and guidingly retaining said cap on said container at its open end, tablet receiving ports in said cap selectively registrable with the open end of said container, and resilient means normally urging the tablets towards said cap.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the assembled dispenser;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the dispenser;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the dispenser taken at right angles to the view shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the slidable dispensing cap; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cap for slidably and guidingly retaining the dispensing cap on the container.

Specific reference will now be made to the drawings. In the several views, in the accompanying drawings and in the following specification, similar reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout.

Indicated generally at I0 is an open-ended tubular container having a bottom wall I2, and

although the container is shown in the draw ings as substantially rectangular, it will be understood that it could also be circular in crosssection or, for that matter, can be of any desired shape in configuration to accommodate a column of tablets I4. The container, like the remainder of the parts of the present device to be described hereinafter, is preferably fabricated of a suitably colored plastic but may also be fabricated of light-weight metals, wood, cardboard, and the like.

Removably retained upon the open end of the container in is a cap l6 which is of the same general configuration as the elongated container l0 and which is tubular in form and consequently provided with a central or axial bore it. As shown in the drawings, the bottom of the cap it is provided with internal threads 20 which engage the externally threaded portion 22 of the container l0 adjacent its top end. Although a threaded connection is illustrated in the drawings, it will be readily understood that any other suitable means may be employed for removably retaining the cap l6 on the top or open end of the container Ii]. Intermediate the ends of the cap I6 is a peripheral or annular groove 24 intercepted at diametrical portions thereof by vertical lugs 26, for a purpose to be later described.

A dispensing cap 23 is provided which is hollow and includes a top wall 39, side walls 32, end walls 34, and a bottom wall 36. Adjacent one end of the dispensing cap, a port or aperture 38 is provided in the top wall, while the bottom wall includes an elongated slot liil which is communicative with an enlarged aperture or port 12 disposed in the bottom wall adjacent the other end of the dispensing cap. The slot 49 forms with the bottom wall 36 of the dispensing cap a pair of opposed, longitudinal portions Mi which extend into the peripheral groove 24 in the cap it so that the dispensing cap is slidingly and guidingly retained on the cap IS in a manner which will be readily understood with reference to the drawings. The dispensing cap is slidable laterally on the top end of the container l0, and when the lugs 26 in the peripheral groove 24 engage the ends of the slot 40, they limit the outward lateral movement of the dispensing cap on the container.

Positioned within the tubular container IE3 is a coil spring 43 which is interposed between the bottom wall 12 thereof and the bottommost tablet 48 and is so tensioned as to normally urge the tablets upwardly and into the dispensing cap 28. A

3 spring cap 41, of plastic or the like material, is interposed between the spring and the bottommost tablet 48 to provide adequate support and to prevent any pressure erosion of the tablet by the spring.

In practical operation, the tablets are filled in the container I 0 in a manner which will be readily understood with reference to the drawings. The cap I6 is then positioned. on the top or open end of the container. and the gdispgensing cap 28 is then assembled for sliding movement on the cap I6. It will be noted that the ports or aper; tures 38 and 42 are selectively registerable with the axial or central bore l8 of the cap I 6. When the dispensing cap 28 is moved intqtl' e position shown in solid lines in Figure 2, i t will be noted that the topmost tablet 511 is urged through the port 42 into the dispensing cap and is shielded by the top wall 30 thereof. When the dispensing cap is moved to the left of Figure 2 to assume he position s pvn v.1, d (e 1 ther i t port or aperture 38 re 'f axial bore [8 while the longitudinal portions 44 of the bottomwallj'of m q pensmg cap niove in a position topart ially close the central b'oife l a and prevent the next -adjacent tablet from b'eing urged by thespring ae'intcthe dispensing cap 28. In this position, an nt n Of the 'COIltainer will cause a tablet to be dispensed through the port or aperture 38 in such a mannerthat only the topmost tablet will be dispensed while the remainder/of the tablets will bje confined within the container '10,. It is'only when the dis pensing cap i'smoved af'gajin ,totli'e right of Figure 2 to assume the positio shown insolid lines therein that the. hext topinjost tablet urged isms;

device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended m- .i. w-

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

m 1% tablet dispenser comprising an elongated tablet-retaining tube closed at its bottom end and ppen et its top end, a tubular cap removably retainedlonthe open end of said tube and includiifg 'a periph'eral-groove intermediate its ends, a

through the porter aperture 43 w the aspen-g.

ing cap 28, and jlorigas dispensing cap remains in this position' an nversion of the container will notallow the tablet tb be dispensed through the a erture or port 38 which is out of registry with the tablet.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with "the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of-"the substantially rectangular dispensing cap slidab'lE laterally on said tubular cap, resilient means norma ly ur i ista ts qw rdsss s dispensing at: as esse r new m m side and end walls; said top well including a able dis e ins e t di en w e d LjSa bottpni 5 m; 'inc ding an elongated seat termitifng gr e lagdtab let receiving port "ad .n. he her a wan, i' ai sovu v j am s mali vsr d. Por 'ralj roo've in said tubular bpns d nr qn te fsa'ijd tubular'cap and reof said tube.

THOMAS P. WALSH.

est-setters time fti swiiigjgritna tie 6r it-cord it the file of this patent: v e N UNITED STATES PATENTS mater H Date 9i17.583 nee s. 1910 2.3911301 Dec. 18', I945 FOREIGN PATENTS fi fit. Date.

799,589 "France Apr. 11, 1936 

